Scoring breakdown

Less is more in these economy-minded times and BMW's new X3 xDrive28i is the latest member of this growing motoring movement, trading in its six-cylinder petrol engine for a smaller, thriftier turbocharged four-cylinder.

With a six-potter traditionally the only path to serious driving enjoyment in a BMW, does this mean keener drivers shopping at the top end of the X3 range are now worse off?

BMW, as you'd expect, says no and can brandish a towering pile of statistics to prove it. Let's find out if the reality lives up to its on-paper promise.